Support the Pottsgrove Federation of Teachers (P.F.T.)

We, the parents and taxpayers of the Pottsgrove School District, are signing the petition below demanding that the Pottsgrove School Board engage in productive and meaningful talks with the Pottsgrove Federation of Teachers, on a daily basis in order to reach a fair settlement quickly. We are aware that the teachers have offered many opportunities to settle the strike, but the school board has refused to accept them. We believe that it is the school boards duty, as elected officials, to resolve the issue in a timely fashion and not keep personal agendas from interfering with the issues at hand. We feel that productive negotiations should continue, and the board should strive to open the schools quickly.

We also believe if the board does not see a settlement coming and is truly offering a fair contract, than binding arbitration should be used. (Binding arbitration is when both parties submit their contract proposal, and a third party decides what the settlement will be in each issue.) This will not only ensure a fair contract, but will put our children back in school immediately. We feel the school boards inability to accept this stance, shows that they are aware that their offers are not fair and reasonable. We are also holding the school board accountable for prohibiting our children from getting the education they deserve, while they are in a stalemate with the Pottsgrove Federation of Teachers.

We acknowledge that our childrens teachers are a valuable part of our community, and are a huge influence in our childrens lives. We firmly believe that the teachers are attempting to settle this contract through different avenues, while the Pottsgrove School Board is unwilling to make any meaningful concessions. We also believe that the current negotiations being requested from the Pottsgrove Federation of Teachers are fiscally responsible and stating otherwise is misleading to the taxpayers of Pottsgrove. We hope that the Pottsgrove School Board listens to the taxpayers who elected them, and chooses to resolve this matter (egos aside) because currently you, our elected officials, are responsible for leaving, many children behind.